


Do You Regret It?

by Nylocke



Category: Warcraft (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mob, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Explicit Language, LionTrust, M/M, What Have I Done, angst in later chapters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-07-30
Packaged: 2018-07-27 01:50:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7598794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nylocke/pseuds/Nylocke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'd like a glass of milk, please."</p>
<p>A Mob!AU where Khadgar accidentally finds himself wrapped up in Llane's mob.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Where do I even begin with this fic? I've spent a lot of time on it, that's for sure. Thanks to Leokumitrash, Alyrianna, and everyone else who helped beta read this fic, and thanks to the Liontrust guild for letting me scream at them while I worked through this piece!

Lothar set his gun on the mahogany desk with a gentle thud. The room was dim and hazy, light from the shuttered windows swirling around in the smoke that hung in the air. The soothing scent of leather welcomed him as he settled into his armchair next to Llane.

“You took care of it, then?” Llane asked. 

“Just as you wanted.”

Llane nodded. “Good. We can’t have those bastards from the Horde moving into our side of town.” He sneered. “It’s laughable, really, some piss-on gang thinking they can encroach on our territory. We’re the mob, for god’s sake.”

“I know.” Lothar replied with a smirk. “You never were good at sharing, Wrynn.”

Llane chuckled, leaning back in his chair. He glanced over at his friend, at the small lion symbol tattooed on the man’s neck in blue ink. 

“I always share with those who are loyal.”

********

Khadgar sighed as he leaned back, closing his eyes as he let his head rest on the back of his chair. It was late, he could tell, but he couldn’t remember how long he had been studying. He could feel himself dozing off as the door of his small dorm burst open.

“Come on, Khad.” Garona’s voice said from behind him. She grabbed his shoulders, shaking him playfully. “We’re going out.”

Khadgar groaned, sitting up. “What time is it?”

“It’s ten o’clock, and you’ve been cooped up in here since yesterday afternoon.” Khadgar’s eyes shot open at the information. “Come on, this dorm is too small to spend that much time here.” she continued, pulling him out of his seat.”

“Where are we going?” Khadgar inquired as he let Garona steer him down the hallway.

“Drinking.” she replied with a wicked grin. He groaned, unable to stop himself from rolling his eyes. 

“You know I don’t drink.” he protested.

“You need to have more _fun_ , Khad.” she teased. “You’re in college. Have you even been to a party yet?” She laughed as he shook his head. “You need to get out more.”

********

Khadgar slumped against the bar, tracing the wood swirls as he pouted. The music was loud, the people were louder, and the smell of smoke and alcohol were overwhelming. He didn’t drink, and he hated bars. Plus, he had homework to get done. He had two essays to write, math homework to do, a presentation to prepare…

He sighed as Garona laughed mirthfully next to him. “Isn’t this nice, Khad? You need to take a break sometimes, let yourself relax.”

“I don’t understand how anyone can relax at a place like this.” he sulked. Garona merely laughed again, waving the bartender over. 

“Whiskey, straight, no ice.” she requested. She was polite, but there was always a certain power in her voice, almost daring someone to tell her no. She pulled at the bandana around her wrist as the bartender nodded, limping off to prepare her drink.

“Oooh.” Garona purred, her eyes falling on a girl across the room, lounging in a leather chair. “See her? She’s gorgeous.”

Khadgar rolled his eyes, huffing at her. “I guess.”

She punched his arm slightly in response as the bartender sat her drink in front of them. “Loosen up, you. I’ll be right back.” She grabbed the whiskey and stood slowly, popping the collar on her jacket and tightening the knot of her wrist bandana before making her way slowly across the bar. Khadgar had to chuckle to himself as he watched Garona turn on her primal charm, walking over to the girl with the beauty and prowess of a stalking lioness.

“For you, sir?” the bartender asked. 

“I’d like a glass of milk, please.”

Khadgar looked up at the bartender as the man took a step back, clearly startled. “Yes sir. Right away, sir. This way.” the man replied, offering his hand to lead Khadgar towards a room at the back of the bar.

When he thought back on the moment later, Khadgar chastised his past self for not being more careful. He wasn’t stupid; this was clearly strange. But, being the brash youth that he was, Khadgar rarely aired on the side of caution. He allowed himself to be lead to the back of the bar, the bartender casting a cautious look behind them as he opened the door for Khadgar.

Khadgar entered the room, and immediately a chill ran down his spine. He wasn’t supposed to be here- he could feel it in the way the man across the room fixed him with a piercing gaze. His eyes flickered to the man’s neck to find the symbol of a lion tattooed there in blue ink, apparent even underneath the man’s curly dark locks. The Alliance, he knew immediately; everyone in town knew about the mob, even though most people laughed it off as an urban legend. He turned to go, muttering an apology, only to run gently into the door the bartender had closed behind him.

He felt a strong hand slip over his mouth from behind, and the man pulled Khadgar against him forcefully. His pleas were muffled by the man’s grasp, and he stopped struggling the moment he felt the knife press against his neck. His blood ran cold, and he could feel the sweat on his brow as his eyebrows raised in alarm.

He heard the man’s voice in his ear--cold as the steel pressed against his skin--as the man’s breath trickled across his skin: “What are you doing in our hub, kid?”

Khadgar let the man holding him turn them around to face the dark-haired man, who remained sitting in his leather chair. A smile tugged at his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes, which remained cold as ice. “Well, well, well.” he chuckled, his voice dangerously low. “How did you get in here, boy? How did you figure out the password?”

Khadgar tried to say something, anything, but the man who held him didn’t let up his grip on Khadgar’s mouth.

The dark-haired man stood, letting his fingers brush the mahogany table as he crossed to where Khadgar was held. He reached out, running his hand lightly through Khadgar’s hair before letting it fall slowly, tracing the line of Khadgar’s jaw. He felt Khadgar’s arm, squeezing his muscle gently before chuckling to himself. Khadgar flinched as the man’s hand slipped into his shirt pocket, extracting his wallet swiftly. He tossed it open casually, his brown eyes examining Khadgar’s student identification card.

“A student, eh? At the university? I know people there. I have people working there, in fact.” He chuckled again. “This says your major is in applied mathematics. We have no use for that kind of thing here; it’s not very practical in a real-world sense. Pity,” he lamented, sarcasm practically dripping from his voice, “It’ll be a shame to get rid of someone as pretty as you, boy. Still, you know how to get in here, and we can’t have you walking around with information like that.” He nodded curtly at the man who held him. “Take him outside, Anduin.” 

Lothar let his grip slacken ever-so-slightly as he felt a tear spill onto his hand. “Llane, wait.” he began. Llane’s eyebrows arched up, a mix of curiosity and surprise on his face. “If he was smart enough to get in here, he’s smart enough to get into other places.” Lothar reasoned. Llane nodded slowly, his eyes locked on Lothar’s face as he considered. “We can keep a close eye on him, make sure he keeps his mouth shut. Isn’t that right, kid?” he asked Khadgar, sliding the knife gently across the boy’s skin. Khadgar nodded quickly, his eyes wide as saucers.

Llane sighed. He knew he couldn’t argue with Lothar now; he could see on his friend’s face that he had taken a liking to the boy. He knew Lothar’s preferences better than anyone; he let himself smirk as he considered the boy’s dark hair and brown eyes, not unlike his own. “Fine,” he said finally, “But he’s your responsibility, Anduin. Don’t let him out of your sight.”

********

Lothar’s apartment was astounding. It could hardly be called an apartment, Khadgar thought to himself as Lothar pushed him inside, closing the door behind them. They entered into a grand living area, decorated in blue and gold satin. An enormous marble table stood in the center of the room, gold trim lining it and the mahogany chairs that sat around it. The couches were off to the side, set in a semi-circle around the biggest television Khadgar had ever seen in his life. A door hung open on that side of the room, revealing a gorgeous marble bathroom with a gigantic tub. On the opposite side were two more doors, beautifully carved wood set into gold doorframes. 

Lothar pushed past Khadgar lightly, entering the apartment as he removed his jacket, tossing it haphazardly on the back of the couch. He loosened his blue satin tie, revealing his collarbone beneath his button-up shirt. Khadgar had to admit that the man wasn’t exactly unattractive, his brown hair falling lazily to his shoulders, framing his bearded face. Khadgar noted the scars on his face, wondering to himself how they had gotten there, though he wouldn’t dare ask. 

“Um, t-thanks,” Khadgar stammered, fiddling with the strap of his bag absentmindedly, “For, er, not killing me back there.” Lothar grunted in response. “Thanks for standing up to your boss for me.”

Lothar snorted, a sound somewhere between a laugh and a growl. “I’m Llane’s right-hand man. I’m the only one who can stand up to him like that. We go way back, me and him. I’ve known him since I was a kid.”

Khadgar nodded, letting the information sink in. “Well, thanks anyway, erm...”

“Lothar.” he chuckled, sending a shiver down Khadgar’s spine. “My name is Lothar.”

“Thank you, Lothar.”

Lothar shrugged. “Hopefully I don’t regret it. Hopefully you don’t, either.”

Khadgar swallowed the lump in his throat as he reminded himself to keep breathing. ‘ _These guys practically own me, now._ ’ he thought to himself, feeling a cold sweat on his back. ‘ _They’re the mob, for god’s sake._ ’

“Um,” Khadgar started, his breath catching as Lothar turned to look at him over the back of the couch, his icy eyes piercing through him, “I-I don’t have any clothes or anything. Should I, like… go home and pack or something?”

Lothar chuckled again, the sound rumbling deep in his chest like thunder. “I’m not that stupid, kid. You’re not going out of my sight.”

“I won’t run away.” Khadgar protested, but he instantly regretted the words as Lothar stood, crossing to him in a few powerful strides. He took a step back instinctively, letting Lothar push him up against the door. 

Lothar smiled dangerously down at him. “I have clothes you can wear,” he said, his voice low, “And we can get you clothes; we’re not exactly short on money, here. We can afford clothes; we can’t afford to let you go wandering around the city. That’s final.” Khadgar nodded, eyes wide as he stared up at Lothar. 

Lothar smirked at him. “That’s better,” he said, stepping back. He caught Khadgar’s wrist on the way back, pulling him towards the bathroom. “It’s time for bed, kid,” he told Khadgar, releasing him and pushing him gently into the bathroom, “Get washed up.” He tossed Khadgar a tee shirt before closing the door. Khadgar sighed, turning to the sink to get washed up. 

He pulled Lothar’s shirt on over his head, the scent of laundry and wood and smoke rushing into his nose as he did. He slipped his jeans off, his pale legs exposed up to where his plaid boxers brushed his thighs. He turned the handle on the door, which creaked slightly as he pushed it open. “Lothar?” he called.

Lothar’s hand clamped over Khadgar’s wrist tightly from beside the doorway as he jerked the young man towards the smaller of the two bedrooms. Khadgar did his best not to stumble as the man lead him across the apartment. Lothar spun him around, throwing him almost roughly on the bed when they reached it. Khadgar sputtered, unable to find his voice as Lothar pushed him down, grabbed his arms, and held them above his head. He pulled a set of handcuffs from his belt, clasping them onto Khadgar’s pale wrists and securing them to the bed frame. 

“Lothar, what are you _doing_?” the boy asked, eyes wide as he struggled against the restraints. Lothar smiled innocently down at him as he straightened.

“Can’t have you running away in the night, now, can we?” Lothar replied. He bent to kiss Khadgar’s nose before spinning on his heel, closing the door firmly behind him as he left the room. Khadgar sighed, tugging once more at the cuffs before resigning himself to sleep. It had been a long day, after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh god, _what have I done_?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to Alyrianna, Leokumitrash, and everyone else that helped me with this fic. It's been a joy to work on. I'll probably post another chapter today because I'm very eager to drag you all into hell with me.

Khadgar awoke to the scent of bacon and coffee. His eyes fluttered open as he took a deep breath, shifting his weight on the bed. Confusion overtook him for a moment when he felt steel holding his wrists firmly in place. He groaned as the memories of the night before rushed back to him, and he let his muscles relax back into the bed. It wasn’t like he was going anywhere, anyway. He stared up at the ceiling, stomach growling as the smell of breakfast teased his nose. He didn’t pay it much mind, however; his mind was busy wandering over his situation. He was in the hands of the mob now, he realized. He had to go where they told him, do what they asked of him, or they would kill him. He had gotten very lucky yesterday when Lothar decided to spare him, he knew. If it hadn’t been for Lothar, he would be dead now, his body dumped in a river somewhere. 

A chill ran over him as he thought about it: Lothar had spared him because they thought he had figured out their password. They thought he could crack codes, break into mob bases using his cleverness. He had just wanted a glass of milk; it had been an honest mistake. What would they do with him when they realized he really was useless? 

He was startled from his musings as the door creaked open, Lothar’s head popping into the room. “You awake, kid?” he asked. Khadgar nodded, sitting up as best he could with the cuffs keeping him pinned down. “Good,” Lothar continued, “Did you sleep well?”

“Well enough.” Khadgar replied. 

“They’ve just brought our breakfast up,” Lothar informed him as he entered the room, leaning over Khadgar to undo his restraints. Khadgar could feel a blush blooming on his cheeks as he stared up at Lothar’s collarbone, exposed slightly beneath the collar of his button-up shirt, the first two buttons of which were undone. Lothar straightened, smirking when he noticed the pink in the boy’s cheeks. “Come on.” he said as Khadgar stood. “Let’s eat.”

They sat down at the table to eat, Khadgar absentmindedly rubbing his wrists where the cuffs had turned his pale skin pink. It was quite a spread; Khadgar had never seen a breakfast so huge, nor one that smelled so good. There were pancakes, waffles, fruit and berries in a large bowl, bacon, sausages- even crepes. Lothar poured him a cup of coffee, pushing him some cream and sugar to put in it. Khadgar nodded a thanks as he watched Lothar pour himself a glass of scotch. 

“You’re going to drink now?” Khadgar asked, astonished. Lothar looked up at him from across the table.

“Is that alright with you, bookworm?” Lothar chuckled as Khadgar’s face flushed. He drank deeply, downing half the glass before it left his lips. He set it down with a sigh, letting the warmth of the drink creep down his throat and through his chest. Khadgar graciously kept any further comments to himself. 

Khadgar always tried to be polite when eating in a stranger’s home, but as soon as he tasted the food, he couldn’t stop himself from tucking in, wolfing down food like a lion who hadn’t been fed in several days. Lothar laughed at the sight, causing Khadgar to pause abruptly, a bite of waffle in limbo between his fork and his lips.

“Can I help you?” the boy asked, swallowing quickly. 

“No, but it seems you don’t have a problem with helping yourself.” Lothar shot back teasingly. Khadgar’s blush deepened, his face turning crimson as Lothar laughed. “Don’t be shy, kid.” he added before Khadgar could finish an apology. “Eat as much as you want. I don’t like to waste food.”

Khadgar nodded, though he made a noticeable effort to slow down. Lothar downed the last of his scotch with a satisfied sigh before standing up, crossing to his bedroom. Khadgar stared after him, unsure of what to do. The man emerged moments later, tie slung lazily around his neck and a bundle of clothes in his hands. He tossed them in Khadgar’s lap with a smirk. “Better get dressed, kid. Llane doesn’t like it when people are late.”

He chuckled to himself as Khadgar scrambled towards the bathroom.

********

“Is this your car?”

Lothar pressed the unlock button on his keys, causing the luxurious black Rolls Royce to flash its lights. He smirked, eyebrow raised at the boy. 

“Is it… is it really ok for me to ride in this? It looks so expensive…”

“It is.” Lothar agreed. “Try not to touch the windows. Or the paint. Or… well, just keep your hands to yourself.” 

Khadgar nodded as he gingerly touched the door handle to open the car. The scent of leather greeted him as he sat awkwardly on the red seat, hands folded carefully in his lap. Lothar ducked into the driver’s seat, smiling lovingly as he turned the key in the ignition, the engine welcoming him with a purr.

They took off, neither of them disturbing the silence as they mused over their own thoughts. Lothar couldn’t help but glance occasionally over at Khadgar, satisfied with how well the suit he had loaned him fit. It was flattering, he had to admit, even though it was clear that Khadgar wasn’t used to wearing suits. He fidgeted with the tie absentmindedly as he stared out the tinted window, eyes falling on sights he didn’t really see. 

The moment they got out of the car, Lothar grabbed his briefcase with one hand; the other clamped firmly around Khadgar’s wrist. He led the boy in through the back entrance of the bar, a burly man nodding at the tattoo on his neck as they passed. 

Llane’s hand worried at his beard as his brow furrowed, deep in thought as he stared at the papers laid out on the table before him. The man next to him spoke softly, his long, blonde hair pulled into a neat bun. He pointed to different points on the papers in front of them, murmuring soft enough that Khadgar couldn’t hear him from the entrance. 

As content as Khadgar would have been to sit in a chair in the corner and be as uninvolved in the business as possible, Lothar clearly had other plans. He kept his grasp on Khadgar’s wrist tight as he dragged the boy with him over to where the two men were talking. The blonde man looked up at him, his blue eyes tired but sharp as they flickered to Khadgar. 

“Hello, Lothar.” the man said. “Who’s your… friend?” 

Lothar smirked, not making any attempt to hide the smugness on his face. “This is Khadgar. He’s our new bookworm.” Lothar cast his gaze down at the boy, who smiled weakly. “He found himself in our bar yesterday, so we had to keep him.”

“Hi.” Khadgar squeaked. 

The man nodded. “Nice to meet you, Khadgar.” he said. “I am Medivh.”

“Nice to meet you, too.” Khadgar replied with a nod. A curious smile twitched across Medivh’s face as he looked back at Lothar with a scrutinizing gaze. Finally, he nodded decidedly, as if he had answered a question he had asked himself silently. 

“Alright, focus,” Llane grumbled, “Enough talk. We have important business to take care of.” Khadgar’s eyes caught movement, and his eyebrows perked up slightly as he watched Medivh’s hand slip around Llane’s waist.

Llane’s hand spread across the map in front of them, fingers coming to rest on a large red dot inked onto the map. “The Horde has moved into our territory. They’ve apparently taken this building to repurpose it, but we don’t know what they plan to do with it. Considering that it’s only a block away from one of our major routing stops, chances are they plan to slow our product flow, or stop it completely.”

“So, what do we do?” Lothar inquired. “We can’t let them root themselves there; besides, even if they plan to do nothing with that location, I’m not fond of letting them encroach into our territory without consequence.” 

Llane nodded slowly. “We can’t push our people in the police force to take action against them unless they’ve done something illegal, Lothar. Last time I checked, owning property wasn’t illegal.”

“So, what then, we just wait until they’ve jumped one of our trucks or hit one of our buildings?” Lothar challenged. Khadgar could feel the tension in the room rising, and he cursed Lothar for making him stand so close to everyone. He desperately wanted to stick his nose in a book and pretend he wasn’t there.

“We should investigate.” Medivh said quietly. He looked up at his friend next to him, eyes tired but certain. “Getting more information can only help us.” Khadgar let himself exhale the breath he didn’t know he had been holding as Llane and Lothar nodded slowly. 

“Alright, we’ll take the cars.” Llane said finally. He pulled open a drawer on the table, extracting a black pistol, the Alliance lion etched in silver on the handle. Khadgar’s blood ran cold when he saw it, if only for a brief moment before Llane tucked it safely into the holster that had been hidden under his suit jacket. He was startled as Lothar moved to set his briefcase on the table, unlatching the clasps and opening it to reveal a second gun, nearly identical to the first. He twirled it in his hand casually before placing it almost lovingly in his own holster.

As they made to leave, Khadgar found his voice again. “You’re going to leave me here, right?” he asked. His voice sounded more pleading than he had wanted it to, but if he had to beg Lothar to leave him behind, he would do so without hesitation. 

Lothar simply smirked at him in response.

“No, Lothar, please, I really can’t--”

“You’re coming with us, bookworm, and that’s final.” Lothar told him, not bothering to hide the edge in his voice. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“That’s it, I’m going to die, this is how my life is going to end...” Khadgar muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. Lothar chuckled as he tugged the boy along behind him.

********

Khadgar didn’t know much about organized crime, but he figured that bringing an escort car meant there might be trouble. Bringing two escort cars, however, gave him the impression that there was _certainly_ going to be trouble. They drove in both lanes of the highway, one next to Llane’s car, one behind Lothar’s. Khadgar couldn’t help but fidget with his tie anxiously as he bit his lower lip.

They stopped, the four cars pulling into the lot of a large storage unit building. The escort cars let Llane and Lothar park first, pulling in diagonally behind them to block them from view of the street. Khadgar shot a sideways glance at Lothar from the passenger’s seat. 

“Can I stay in the car?” he asked softly. Lothar snorted.

“That’s a good one, kid. Come on.”

Khadgar practically held out his wrist to Lothar as they got out of the car, knowing that the older man would keep a tight grip on it for the remainder of the trip. It was almost relaxing, somehow, Khadgar realized. Something about Lothar’s strong hands made him feel safer, even though he was in a situation far more dangerous than he ever wanted to find himself in. 

“Is this the best the Horde can do?” Lothar chortled as they approached Llane and Medivh. “Dingy; looks like it hasn’t been touched in years. Do these garage doors even open?”

“Yes, it doesn’t look like much, but they only just acquired it.” Llane pointed out, “And it’s the location they needed, not the storage space, I’m sure.” 

“Fitting.” Medivh chimed in, “Of a half-baked drug gang, I think.” Lothar chuckled, but Llane remained nonplussed.

“You know it’s dangerous to underestimate our enemies, Medivh,” he said slowly. 

Lothar stepped forward, pulling a very reluctant Khadgar along with him as he reached for the storage shed. He jerked at the rusted handle, but clearly the thing wasn’t about to budge. He smirked as he turned to face his friends.

“I doubt they could get these open to put anything in here,” he observed, “It’s rusted shut.”

“So it really is just the location, then.” Llane concluded. “Come on, let’s go.”

They got back in their cars, the escort’s backing up to let Llane and Lothar go first before falling into line behind them on the small street. Khadgar felt his heart skip a beat as a fifth car pulled up behind them. 

“Lothar--”

“I see them.” Lothar’s face was stone-like as he pushed a button on his dashboard. “Llane, can you hear me?”

“I hear you.” came Llane’s response over the phone. 

“We have a Porsche: black, red wheels.”

Llane was silent for a moment. “Understood. We ride in a line; do _not_ stray. They won’t take the bait.” he added firmly. Lothar sighed, but Khadgar saw him nod slightly. 

Lothar didn’t take his eyes off the road as he reached to his belt, pulling out his gun and tossing it gently into Khadgar’s lap. Khadgar gaped at the thing, eyes wide as he turned to Lothar.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” he asked, fearing the answer. 

“When I ask you to hand me that, you hand me that, is that clear?” Lothar’s voice was low, but it carried with it the power of an ocean beating against the shore. 

“You’re going to _shoot_ them?” Khadgar gasped. “While you’re _driving_? You’re just going to _kill_ them?” 

“ _Is that clear_?” Lothar repeated. 

Khadgar nodded, leaning back in his seat as though he hoped it would swallow him whole. “I’m going to die, this is it. This is really it. This is insane…” he muttered. 

“Shut up, would you?” Lothar growled. “You need to stay calm now, alright? I’ll take care of everything. We need to protect Llane’s car. Just, stop talking, alright?” 

Khadgar nodded again, his tongue darting out to lick his dry lips. 

As soon as they hit the main road, Lothar punched the gas. Their engines roared, the four cars taking off at a speed Khadgar hadn’t known to be physically possible. He grabbed the gun as it began to slip from his lap, watching in the mirror as the Porsche began to match their speed, another identical car coming up beside it. 

“Lothar--”

“I thought I told you to be quiet.”

Khadgar gasped when a gunshot rang out, the escort car in the back swerving off the road as its tire exploded. Khadgar could hear the sickening crunch as it hit a telephone pole, crumpling like a piece of tinfoil. Lothar swore under his breath.

‘ _This is it._ ’ Khadgar thought, ‘ _This is actually life and death_.’

He tore his eyes away from the crumpled car, trying not to think about its driver as he glanced at Lothar. The man swore again as a bullet hit their back windshield, but he didn’t waver at all, his course completely straight. The amount of sheer determination on the man’s face was enough to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies if they could have seen it. Khadgar forced himself to take a deep breath. He couldn’t let these people die. They were the mob, yes. They were criminals and scoundrels and god knows what else, but they weren’t bad people, he realized. They were human, they were human beings just like himself and Garona and his parents and all the people he cared about. And, he admitted, he found himself caring about these people, too. He found himself thinking about Medivh, the gentle hand that he slipped around Llane’s waist. He thought about Lothar, how he had gotten them breakfast, how he had given him his own clothes to wear, how the man had gone out of his way to spare his life. 

It was that thought that brought Khadgar’s hand to the gun. He had never shot a gun, not once in his life. He had only held a gun once, and it had been a prop for a school play back when he was only a boy. Still, his hand was steady as he rolled down the window of the car.

“Kid, what are you doing?” Lothar asked from beside him. Khadgar unbuckled his seatbelt, twisting in his seat to aim the gun out the window. “Kid, that’s _dangerous_ , dammit, sit down.”

“Keep driving, Lothar!” he yelled from the window. He squeezed one eye closed as he looked down the end of the gun, lining it up with the Porsche’s red tire. It made an excellent target, he found himself thinking. A sick thought flashed through his mind--the thought that he could end several lives with a simple touch of a button. And he did.

He squeezed the trigger gently, hardly flinching as the recoil brought the gun crashing against his cheek. It happened in slow-motion, it seemed--the Porsche’s tire blew, causing the first car to swerve into the second, sweeping it off the road as both cars pummeled into the concrete barrier between lanes. He couldn’t tell which car burst into flames first. 

Lothar didn’t have time to admit that Khadgar was extremely fucking attractive right now. 

The boy fell back into the seat, breathing heavily as realization overtook him. His mouth hung open as he stared wide-eyed through the front windshield, knuckles white as he grasped the seat. 

“Oh god, _what have I done_?” he breathed. “I just murdered two people, _at least_ , oh god, what if someone else hit those cars too? Oh my god…”

“Khadgar, you alright?” Lothar asked, glancing over at the boy as their cars slowed, the chase over. 

Khadgar nodded weakly, the color drained from his face.

As soon as they pulled into the bar parking lot, Khadgar was keeled over on his hands and knees retching up the breakfast he had so enjoyed earlier. Lothar knelt beside him, patting his back gently as Llane and Medivh approached them.

“You did good, kid.” Lothar assured him as the boy coughed, wiping his mouth. 

“I-I can’t believe I just did that…” Khadgar mumbled. 

Llane shoved his hands in his pockets, smirking smugly at the two men on the ground. “You were right, Lothar.” he said, “It was good to keep him. Hell, he may be a better shot than you.” Lothar swatted at his legs as he laughed. “That was damn impressive.”

Medivh handed the boy a bottle of water, which Khadgar accepted gratefully.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I can't get a _tattoo_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to Alyrianna and Leokumitrash for beta reading; you guys are lovely. Also, thanks to the Liontrust guild for screaming with me, and thanks to you guys for reading! Honestly, kudos to all of you for sticking with these.

“What do you want for dinner?”

Khadgar shrugged. 

Lothar sighed, running a hand through his hair. Khadgar was still visibly pale, save for the bruise on his face, as he sat on the couch, elbows resting on his knees, one hand holding an ice pack to his injured cheek. He hadn’t changed after they had returned home; Lothar had barely been able to get his jacket and tie off of him before he slumped onto the couch. He had been sitting like that ever since. 

“Come on, kid, I know you like food. I can get anything brought up here. What are you in the mood for?” Lothar pressed. 

“I’m not hungry.” Khadgar murmured. Lothar sighed again. 

“You haven’t eaten since breakfast, and you hurled that up.” Lothar reminded him. “You have to eat something.”

Khadgar shook his head. This kid was stubborn, Lothar had to give him that. He found himself unsure of what to do; he didn’t have experience caring for people. He didn’t want to push the poor boy, but at the same time it couldn’t be healthy for him to not eat, right? 

“Fine, I’m going to order a turkey dinner, alright? Maybe the smell of food will make you hungry enough to eat.”

Khadgar nodded slowly, shifting the ice pack against his face.

Lothar sat down next to the boy and stared into his eyes, trying to read in them what Khadgar was thinking. “You really did a good job today.” Lothar began. “If you hadn’t shot them, none of us would be here. You, me, Llane, Medivh, none of us. We’re all alive because of you, I hope you know that.”

Khadgar let himself smile. It was a sad smile, no doubt, but it was something. “Thank you.” he said softly. Lothar ruffled a hand through the boy’s hair.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do it if they weren’t in a car.” Khadgar continued slowly. “If I had to look at their faces, see their eyes. I wouldn’t have been able to do it. I can’t stop thinking that there were people in those cars; real people with lives and families.”

Lothar was at a loss for words. He could tell them that they were in a drug gang, probably living miserable lives anyway, but he doubted that would help. He could tell him that he saved their lives, but that seemed selfish, and it hadn’t been working anyway. Other than that, what else could he say? That he understood? That was laughable, at best. Lothar could recall multiple occasions when he had kept direct eye contact while shooting someone. And stabbing someone. And… well, that wasn’t important right now. 

His eyes fell to the bruise on Khadgar’s cheek where the butt of the gun had recoiled into it. He had to stop himself from gently caressing it with his thumb; he was sure that would hurt. 

“Hey,” Lothar began, “Next time, keep both eyes open when you shoot. Then you won’t have to bring the gun as close to your face, and you won’t get hurt. Alright?”

Khadgar nodded, and when he smiled, it was genuine. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said. “I hope there’s not a next time, though.”

Lothar ruffled his hair again. “Me too, kid.”

Khadgar felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He let Lothar pull him up off the couch and lead him toward the bedroom Khadgar now inhabited. There was a certain softness in Lothar’s eyes as he cuffed Khadgar to the bed that night. His fingers lingered on Khadgar’s arms before he gently squeezed the boy’s shoulder, and he cast a gentle smile at him over his shoulder as he turned the light off, closing the door without a word. 

********

Lothar’s grasp on Khadgar’s wrist wasn’t as tight the next day as they entered the back of the bar. Llane smirked dangerously at Khadgar as they entered, brown eyes piercing the boy like daggers. 

“Morning.” he said in greeting as the two men approached the table. He drew the word out, lips hanging on the syllables. It made Khadgar nervous, though he couldn’t explain why. 

“Morning.” Lothar replied cheerily. Khadgar merely smiled. 

“We’ve come to an agreement, Khadgar.” Llane continued. “You’ve proven your worth--and, more importantly, your loyalty to the Alliance.” Butterflies fluttered in Khadgar’s stomach as he nodded slowly. He wasn’t sure exactly what he was feeling--nervous? excited? anxious? 

Khadgar dared a sideways glance up at Lothar, who was beaming down at him, blue eyes glittering with pride. The boy felt the butterflies in his stomach once again, though he was sure it was excitement that caused it that time. 

“We’ve decided to take you in, Khadgar, officially.” Llane said. His tone was light, yet there was a power behind it that made Khadgar swallow any protests he might have had. “Lothar will take you to get marked.” He waved his hand, dismissing them. Lothar began to walk, pulling a dumbstruck Khadgar along behind him. 

“W-wait, what do you mean, ‘ _marked_ ’?” Khadgar stuttered as he stumbled after Lothar. Llane simply waved at him, smugness tracing a smirk across his face as the door closed behind them.

********

“I’m not going in there.”

Lothar raised an eyebrow incredulously. “Yes, you are.” he said. 

“No, Lothar, I can’t,” the boy insisted, “I can’t get a _tattoo_.” 

Lothar chuckled slightly. “Llane doesn’t take lightly to people telling him ‘no’, kid. He’s letting you into the Alliance; you have to get it.”

“My parents will _kill_ me,” Khadgar began, but the rest of the thought died in his throat as a sad realization crept into his brown eyes. Lothar sighed, finding himself unable to look at the boy. He knew where Khadgar’s train of thought had gone: Khadgar might not see his parents again. Ever.

Lothar put a gentle hand on Khadgar’s knee, squeezing slightly. “Come on, kid, you can hold my hand.”

They got out of the car, entering the small store. Khadgar thought to himself that if he had to get a tattoo, this would be the last place on earth he would come. The storefront was run-down and dingy, and the store itself was located on the corner of a small, dark alley. It was a stereotypical place to adopt a menagerie of bacteria and disease, and he was terrified. The inside was hardly any better: white walls decorated with tattoo designs, neon signs, and a variety of suspicious-looking stains. Khadgar felt his skin crawl just thinking of exactly how many health issues he could contract just by existing in the store, let alone getting a _tattoo_ here. 

“Karos?” Lothar called into the seemingly empty shop. “Karos, you here?”

A soft groan greeted them as a man sat up from his prone position on the floor, eyes squinting in the light. His beard was disheveled, but it didn’t cover the small insignia of a lion in blue ink on his neck: the mark of the Alliance. Khadgar nodded slightly to himself as he realized how in the hell this place stayed in business. 

“What do you want, mate? I was having a good nap.” Karos mumbled, rubbing his eyes. 

Lothar pulled Khadgar to stand slightly in front of him. “He needs a mark.” 

Karos chuckled slightly as he stood, holding his back. “This one? Really? Hit the bottom of the recruit barrel, have you?”

A barking laugh escaped Lothar’s lips as Khadgar blushed, hoping neither man noticed. “He doesn’t look the part, I know, but you’d be surprised. You’ve heard of the two Horde cars we took down yesterday, right?”

Karos’ eyebrows lifted slowly as he studied the blushing boy in front of him. “That was you, mate?” he asked Khadgar. Khadgar nodded.

“Damn, so that’s how you got that lovely bruise, eh?” Karos said. He gestured to a chair, which Lothar proceeded to steer Khadgar into, sitting him down with a firm hand on either of the boy’s shoulders. Khadgar squirmed a bit, but Lothar’s grasp held firm. Khadgar couldn’t stop the shudder that shook him when Karos rubbed a cool swab over his neck, sterilizing the skin.

“Hold still, mate,” Karos told him as Khadgar flinched at the sound of the needle turning on, “It’ll hurt more if you don’t.”

Khadgar nodded, eyes squeezing shut as he gave up hope of getting out of this whole mess. He caught Lothar’s hand in his own. Lothar could have sworn he felt a bone crack as the needle touched Khadgar’s skin, the boy clenching his fist with a strength Lothar wouldn’t have imagined possible. 

“Ouch, dammit, kid.” he grumbled, but he didn’t pull his hand away. He hated to see the kid in pain, really, but he couldn’t help a snicker from escaping his throat. “You’re fine, kid, you’re doing good.” he said as soothingly as he could between chuckles. 

********

Lothar had never felt more awkward in his own apartment. 

Khadgar had been standing in the bathroom for the better part of an hour now, just staring at his new tattoo in the mirror. Lothar had tried to make small talk--he had even offered him food--but the boy had only responded with grunts, hums, and the occasional “yes” or “no”. He wanted to comfort Khadgar, but again, he was at a loss for words, his inexperience in caring for people really becoming apparent again. 

“You know,” he started, “It really is an honor, Llane letting you in like that.” Khadgar hummed softly in response. “Not that you didn’t earn it--you certainly did.” he continued. Another hum. “You really saved our asses yesterday, you know?” 

Khadgar nodded as he reached up, fingers absentmindedly brushing the fresh mark on his neck. 

Lothar sighed. “We’ll take care of you, alright? You’re one of us now.”

Khadgar nodded again, but his eyes were distant, the boy lost in thought.

Lothar lifted himself off the couch, crossing to the bathroom. He grabbed Khadgar’s shoulders, gently but firmly, and spun the boy around to face him. Khadgar’s eyes met his own, and Lothar saw that they were focused on him now.

“Talk to me, kid. What’s going through that beautiful mind of yours?”

Khadgar dropped his gaze to his feet as he worried slightly at his lip. “I left my friend in the bar that night.” he said after a pause. “The night I met you. She’s probably worried sick. I haven’t contacted her, I haven’t showed up for class--and I’ve _never_ missed a class. She’s probably been texting me nonstop…”

Lothar nodded slowly, biting his lip as Khadgar trailed off. He felt a pang of guilt in his gut as he realized that he had practically ruined this kid’s life, turned it completely upside down with a single sentence. Of course, if he hadn’t Khadgar would be dead. But Khadgar was in the _mob_ now, for god’s sake. It was a dangerous life, Lothar knew that better than anyone. Khadgar hadn’t wanted it; he would have been content to live his life, get a college education, meet someone nice and settle down. But now, now he would be in organized crime until god knows when, maybe until he died. A chill ran through him as Lothar realized he might be dead sooner rather than later. 

“Look,” Lothar began slowly, “I really shouldn’t do this, so don’t tell anyone, alright?” He smiled softly as Khadgar looked up at him, curiosity and hope dancing in his brown eyes. “We can go visit her, alright? I’ll escort you. We’ll go see her so she knows you’re alright and you can both stop worrying. Sound good?”

A grateful smile spread across Khadgar’s face as he nodded. Lothar had to stop himself from pulling the boy into a hug; if he did, he feared he would never let go. 

********

Khadgar could feel Lothar’s breath on his shoulder. It would have been annoying, really, if he wasn’t so used to Lothar being extremely close to him. This was the first time they had left the apartment without Lothar maintaining a tight grip on Khadgar’s wrist at all times, so Khadgar couldn’t really complain that the man was walking only a few inches behind him. 

“Thanks again, Lothar, for letting me do this.” Khadgar said as they approached the door of the house. Lothar smiled at him, ruffling his hair gently.

“Don’t mention it, kid. Seriously. Llane would be furious.”

Khadgar nodded, returning the man’s smile before rapping his knuckles against the door. 

The door swung open, and Garona stood in the doorway wearing her usual pajamas: a huge, grey tee shirt and red plaid shorts. She gaped at Khadgar, eyes widening in surprise.

“Hey--” Khadgar began. He was cut off, however, by a loud _crack_ as Garona ‘s open palm hit Khadgar’s good cheek hard enough to turn his head. He blinked the stars from his eyes as her voice rang out into the dimly lit street.

“ _Where have you been_?” She shrieked. Lothar instinctively took a step back. “I have been texting you for _days_ , I’ve been worried _sick_ over here, you don’t even have the _decency_ to respond--”

She stopped short as her eyes fell to Khadgar’s exposed neck, which faced her now from where she had turned his head. The color drained from her face as she grabbed the sides of Khadgar’s head, pulling him close to examine the mark on his neck.

“Is that… is that the mark of the Alliance? On your neck?” she said quietly, disbelief and fear mingling in her words.

Khadgar pulled back, her hands hanging in the air where his head had been as he nodded, smiling sheepishly. “It’s, ah… it’s a long story.”

“Khadgar--”

“I’ll be fine, really.” he assured her, though his voice wavered. He didn’t really believe that. All three of them knew it.

“Jesus, Khad, you’re going to get yourself _killed_ out there.” she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. 

Lothar stepped forward. “I’ll take good care of him, Garona. I promise.” he assured her, his voice firm and true. 

Garona sneered. “Are you the best the Alliance has to offer?” she challenged. “You think you’re fearsome?”

“Garona--” Khadgar started, but she continued,

“How do you guys even stay alive if _you’re_ the toughest of the lot?”

Khadgar could feel Lothar seething behind him. “He saved my life, Garona. I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for him.” He smiled at her, assuring her that he would be alright once more. 

She considered for a moment, biting her lower lip, before she threw her arms around Khadgar’s shoulders and pulled him into a tight hug. 

“Please be careful, Khadgar. Please. Alright?”

He nodded against her shoulder, his arms wrapping around her firmly for a moment before he pulled back, smiling. There was confidence in his eyes that made her smile, made her believe for a moment that he really would be alright.

She knew better, however. She had experience with this sort of thing. She tugged absentmindedly at the bandana around her wrist as they left, getting back in the Rolls Royce that was parked outside her house.

Lothar’s eyes locked with hers for a brief moment before he ducked into the car, and she understood. Lothar loved the boy; perhaps he didn’t fully realize it himself. But the loyalty and desire she saw in his eyes proved to her that Lothar would do anything to keep Khadgar safe. 

Anything.

********

Khadgar lifted his arms above his head as he lay on the bed, holding them still so Lothar could fasten the cuffs around his wrists. He found it easy to trust Lothar, to let himself be in Lothar’s care. He couldn’t tell if it was the exhaustion finally setting in, or something like a bond forming between them. He was too tired to think about it. 

“Did you really mean that? What you said to Garona?” Khadgar mumbled sleepily.

“What?” Lothar replied, his hand resting on Khadgar’s shoulder. 

“You said you’d take good care of me.”

Lothar smiled, and Khadgar saw in his blue eyes something he had never seen before. He was too tired to put it into words, exactly, but it was something he felt in his gut and understood. Lothar squeezed his shoulder gently.

“Get some sleep, kid.”

Despite everything that had happened over the past few days, Khadgar slept more comfortably that night than he had in a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare yourselves: Winter is Coming.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What would you give to make sure he was safe?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Hell.
> 
> Thanks again to Alyrianna, Leokumitrash, and everyone else who worked on this fic with me. It's been a pleasure.

Llane fixed Khadgar with the most self-satisfied smirk Khadgar had ever seen as he eyed the fresh tattoo on Khadgar’s neck. Khadgar didn’t think it was even possible to be that smug without saying a single word. 

“It suits you.” was all Llane said. 

Khadgar opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted before the words had even formed on his lips. Medivh burst through the door, walking with the strength of a thunderstorm rolling over the land. His brow furrowed over his blue eyes in concentration, and his voice was strong, more determined than Khadgar had ever heard from the usually quiet man.

“The Horde has made a move. They’ve jumped one of our trucks. Took it as well as the product it had been carrying.”

Lothar cursed under his breath, fist hitting the table as Medivh placed a piece of paper on the table: an invoice for the cargo. Khadgar’s eyes shot up as he saw the figures on the page. They couldn’t possibly be correct. 

“It was this morning, early, about half-past six. On the street across from the storage units they recently purchased.” Medivh continued.

“ _Llane_ ,” Lothar growled, “I thought we agreed to have the trucks avoid that route.”

“It was the only road out of the police patrol route this morning.” Llane replied, his voice calm despite the anger that seemed to radiate off of him. “You know our people in the police force can only do so much.”

Lothar cursed again, leaning against the table. “We have to get it back.” Lothar stated, an edge in his tone. “That’s over a million dollars right there.”

“You’re right, Anduin.” Llane agreed. “We can’t afford to lose that. Not only is that a million dollars we’ll never get back, but we could potentially lose a high-end customer. No, we can’t afford that. We’ll take the cars.” he decided finally, standing from his chair and pulling his gun from the desk drawer. 

As Khadgar buckled his seatbelt, he dared a sideways glance at Lothar. The man was silently seething, anger knitting his brows together over his icy blue eyes. 

“Are you alright?” Khadgar asked softly. 

Lothar sighed, letting some of the tension leave his shoulders as he spoke. “I knew that driver. Varis. He was good at his job, and loyal as hell. He’d drive to hell and back if we asked him to.” Lothar confided. “Those damn bastards from the Horde killed him.”

It struck Khadgar that the man was this angry over the death of one driver. Lothar was in the mob, not to mention his powerful position. Wasn’t he used to this sort of thing?

Realization struck Khadgar suddenly as he remembered Lothar’s words: “We take care of our own.” He hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but he was suddenly aware of how much Lothar really cared about the people he worked with. He valued loyalty, of course, but Khadgar realized now that it was deeper than that. There was a connection, a certain trust that came with putting your lives on the line together. He found himself admiring Lothar deeply for not becoming jaded, not letting the deaths of those he trusted make him apathetic to the lives of those he had to continue to trust.

He felt a warmth spread in his stomach, a very similar feeling to the one he had felt the night before. A feeling of being comfortable in fully trusting Lothar. 

********

“A hotel?” Khadgar inquired. Lothar nodded beside him.

“A hotel and casino.” Lothar corrected. 

They drove past it, Khadgar craning his neck to take in the full spectacle. It was an enormous building, seeming to glitter as the gilded structure reflected the sunlight. The lights around the sign made it stand out even in the daylight: _The Gilded Rose_.

Khadgar’s heart stopped when he saw a black Porsche with red wheels parked out front. 

“ _Lothar_ ,” he hissed, “are we in Horde territory?”

“You don’t have to whisper.” Lothar teased. “They can’t hear you.”

Khadgar swallowed the lump in his throat. “Why are we just driving into Horde territory in the middle of the day? Isn’t this dangerous?”

“The Horde has a tendency to meet during the night.” Lothar informed him. “Besides, they won’t recognize our cars. They see fancy cars around here all the time; it’s a ritzy place, after all.”

They entered the parking garage, circling slowly as they made their way through. Lothar followed Llane’s lead as they pulled into adjacent parking spaces on the second to last level. 

Khadgar moved to unbuckle his seatbelt when Lothar handed him a gun.

Khadgar looked up at him, brown eyes wide as he studied the man’s face. He glanced at the pistol, the steel cold and black against the man’s warm skin. Khadgar was unsettled by the fact that it seemed so natural in Lothar’s hand. 

“Lothar, I’m not going to shoot anyone.” he said quietly. 

Lothar pressed the gun into Khadgar’s hands. “Stay alive, alright?”

Khadgar nodded slowly, tucking the pistol in his pocket inside his suit jacket. The thing weighed heavily against his chest as he opened the car door, stepping out as Llane and Medivh approached their car. 

“Keep an eye out for anything suspicious.” Llane said, his voice low. The others nodded in response.

Lothar’s hand rested on his holster, fingers slipped slightly into the curves of his gun. He was prepared to shoot on a dime, Khadgar realized. He desperately hoped it wouldn’t be necessary. 

They made their way slowly to the bottom floor of the garage, eyes carefully tracing every shadow, every corner, every crevice as they went. Khadgar walked as closely behind Lothar as he could without stepping on the man’s heels as they moved in silence save for the gentle clicking of their heels on the concrete. 

Parked in one of the last spaces on the bottom floor of the garage was a white truck. Khadgar quickened his pace to keep up with the others as they approached; Medivh casting glances back the way they had come. They couldn’t afford to be followed.

Khadgar noted the bullet holes in the truck’s driver side as well as the dents on the back. Clearly, the thing had seen a chase, but it wasn’t in too bad of shape, especially considering that it had been jumped. Only one of the windows was shattered, which seemed odd to Khadgar. 

“The lock hasn’t been picked.” Lothar muttered as he examined the truck door. “It looks like it hasn’t been opened.”

“It’s been several hours.” Medivh thought aloud, his brow furrowing. “They just left it here? That doesn’t make sense.”

Khadgar was aware of Llane’s voice as the man spoke; his voice reached Khadgar’s ears just as the boy felt a strong hand grab his hair roughly from behind, yanking his head back as the barrel of a gun brushed against his temple--“It’s a trap.”

Lothar whirled around when he heard Khadgar gasp, his blue eyes alight with panic and fury when he saw the gun pressed to Khadgar’s head. He snarled, reaching for his own gun before Llane’s hand flew out to stop him.

“Careful, now.” the Horde grunt sneered. “If you reach for your weapon, I _will_ kill him.”

Lothar’s eyes flickered to Khadgar to find the boy’s brown eyes locked on him, fear practically spilling from them. He felt his heart shatter as he stood, useless, unable to do anything. He glared at the burly grunt with eyes that could pierce steel. 

“What do you want?” Llane demanded, the edge in his voice unhidden by his calm demeanor. 

Khadgar felt a shiver run down his spine as cruel laughter echoed against the concrete. At least six men stepped from the shadows, encircling them as they leered. 

“Easy there, _sir_.” Khadgar’s captor said, practically spitting the words at Llane. “We could kill you right now. Easily. We should, too.” he added with a laugh.

Lothar glanced back to Khadgar. The boy was still terrified, that was certain, but there was something more in his eyes, something akin to determination. His blood ran cold as Khadgar nodded slightly at him, fixing him with a look that said, ‘I’ll be okay; do what you need to do.’

“Now, we’re going to cut you a deal, see?” the grunt continued. “We’re looking to, ah, _negotiate_ a few things with you Alliance bastards. It really would be a shame to kill this kid if you’re _disagreeable.”_

“No!” Lothar shouted. “Take me. Take me instead.” 

The grunt chuckled, a disgusting grin breaking across his face. “How sweet of you to offer,” he said, “But that’s not the deal. We’ll keep him here until we negotiate. If you want to see him alive again, meet us on the roof of this garage, Sunday. That’s two days; not much time at all, eh?” His face hardened as he bit out the last sentence: “Be there, or we _will_ kill him.” 

Lothar felt a lump forming in his throat as they left, dragging Khadgar along with them. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t speak. He just stared, desperation and fear clawing at his chest. He stood for what felt like eternity before he whirled around, slamming his clenched fist against the side of the truck. He hit it again. And again. And again. Over and over, he slammed his fist against it. He felt tears stinging in his eyes as he clenched his jaw, beating the truck despite the blood that ran from his hand. 

“Come on, Anduin.” Llane said, voice low as he grabbed Lothar from behind, pulling him away from the truck. “We have to go.” 

******** 

Khadgar couldn’t remember falling asleep, but the sore spot on his neck told him that he had been drugged. He opened his eyes slowly, the blur of room in front of him slowly coming into focus as the drug wore off. He was vaguely aware that his mouth was dry, and he made to lick his lips instinctively, only to find his tongue impeded by a cloth tied over his mouth. 

His eyes snapped open as he sat up, panic overtaking him as he realized he was bound tightly to the chair he sat in. He couldn’t move; his hands were tied tightly behind his back, and even his ankles were fastened securely to the legs of the chair. He struggled fiercely against the ropes before a low chuckle made him stop dead. 

Khadgar looked around wildly, wide eyes searching for the source of the voice. His blood ran cold as a hand slipped over his shoulder from behind. It was covered in tattoos, he noticed, tribal patterns etched over every inch of skin. He smelled leather and liquor as the man pressed against him. 

The man’s tattooed hand slid over his skin as it moved to Khadgar’s chin. He pulled Khadgar’s head back roughly, forcing the boy to look up at him. An unctuous smile broke across the man’s face. 

“Quite the bruise you’ve got there, boy,” the man said, running a finger over the mark on Khadgar’s cheek. He chuckled again as Khadgar flinched at the touch. “Looks like the butt of a gun.” 

He released his grip on Khadgar’s chin, letting the boy’s head fall forward a bit. Khadgar did his best not to struggle, knowing that it would probably get him in further trouble. He couldn’t help but pull against the bonds, however, when the man ran a tattooed finger over the Alliance mark on his neck. The man laughed hoarsely. 

“I can see why he’s so fond of you.” 

******** 

"We have to get him back.” Lothar demanded, pacing in front of the mahogany table. He hadn’t been able to sit still since they had gotten back to the bar. “We can break into the hotel in the night, using the fire escape. We can find him without getting caught.” 

“Anduin--” Llane protested. 

“ _We can save him_.” Lothar interrupted, whirling around to face his friend, blue eyes stormy. 

“That’s suicide, and you know it.” Llane said shortly, “For us and for Khadgar. It’s impossible, and incredibly stupid. We have to negotiate--” 

“ _Fuck_ negotiating!” Lothar shouted. “Fuck this deal, and fuck the Horde! I won’t negotiate with _anyone_ that hurts Khadgar.” he added with a growl.

“Do you think,” Medivh chimed in, a hint of something dark edging his voice, “that your personal feelings for the boy are clouding your judgement, Lothar?” 

Lothar stared at him with his mouth agape in incomprehensible rage from across the table. 

“Medivh…” Llane warned, voice low, as he rested a gentle hand on the other man’s shoulder. 

“I hadn’t expected you to get so attached to the boy, especially not so soon.” Medivh continued, ignoring Llane’s tone as his merciless eyes bored into him. “Pity, really, that you’ve grown so _soft_.” 

“My _feelings_ have nothing to do with this.” Lothar growled, resting his hands on the table as he leaned forward. “That’s one of our guys in there. Don’t you care?” 

“So you do have feelings for him, then?” Medivh pressed. 

“That’s not the point right now!” Lothar shouted, pounding his fist on the table for emphasis. 

“ _Anduin_.” Llane cut in, “He’ll be _fine_. They’re using him to negotiate with us; they won’t hurt him. He’ll be fine. Right now, we have to focus on how we’re going to negotiate with them. We’ll get him back, alright?" 

Lothar sighed, pressing a hand to his temple. He knew Llane was right, but he couldn’t stop the rage from building inside him as he thought of them _using_ Khadgar like a bargaining chip. He thought of what the poor boy must be going through right now, trapped in some glitzy hotel room, in the hands of a drug gang, no less… 

Anduin couldn’t take any more of the _nonsense_ he was hearing, even if they were right. The smoky haze in the room didn’t help the tightness in his chest, and he spun on heel, stalking off towards the back door. He let it slam into the silence he left behind him. 

Llane sighed, fingers pressing the bridge of his nose as his eyes squeezed shut. 

“Don’t worry about him.” Medivh’s voice caressed his ear. “It’ll work out. We’ll go through with the negotiation, get Khadgar back, and leave this whole mess behind us.” 

Llane nodded as Medivh slipped into his lap. His fingers brushed Llane’s skin as he began deftly unbuttoning his shirt. 

******** 

Lothar didn’t care that he had left his suit jacket in the bar. He didn’t care that his shirt was untucked. He didn’t care that his tie was loose. He didn’t care about anything except Khadgar as he walked down the street, letting the fresh air rustle through his long hair. 

He hardly noticed Garona walking towards him, a bag of groceries in her arms, until he nearly collided with her. 

“Where’s Khadgar?” she asked, concern furrowing her brow. 

“Good to see you too.” he muttered, looking at the ground. 

The groceries hit the ground as she grabbed his shirt, shoving him roughly. 

“Where. Is. _Khadgar_?” 

“The Horde took him.” he blurted out, “It was a trap and we fell for it. They have him; they’re using him to force us into some damn deal. They took Khadgar.” 

He felt Garona’s grip slacken as horror crept across her face. They stood in silence for a moment before Garona sighed and let go of Lothar’s shirt. He knelt, placing the groceries back in the bag before handing it to her. 

“What would you give to make sure he was safe?” she asked quietly. 

“Anything.” 

She nodded slowly to herself, a pained look in her eye as she tugged absentmindedly at the bandana around her wrist. 

“Me too.” 

******** 

Lothar had hardly slept at all since Khadgar had been taken. He had been able to doze off into a nightmare-filled sleep once, early in the morning, for about an hour. He resigned himself to a constant flow of coffee, though the ladies in the kitchen never seemed to make it strong enough. 

As he drove to the bar, he couldn’t stop thinking how strange it was to be alone in the car, without Khadgar next to him. He had occupied the space for such a short period of time, but the car was so silent, so dead without the young man. It gave Lothar a horrible sense of dread as he pulled into the parking lot. 

Silence hung over the hub as he entered; the only sound to be heard was the gentle clicking of guns being loaded. The tension in the room was almost palpable; so thick it felt as if it could be cut with a knife. It was Llane who finally broke the silence as he clasped Lothar’s shoulder. 

“We’ll get him back, Anduin.” he assured him. “I promise.” 

Lothar didn’t say anything; instead, he fixed Llane with a stare that spoke volumes about the lengths he was willing to go to make sure that promise was fulfilled. Llane nodded once in understanding and to the intensity of the gaze before stepping back. He waved a hand over his shoulder, signaling for them to move out. Medivh cast a glance at Lothar, his face unreadable, before following Llane, leaving Lothar to bring up the rear. 

The drive to the hotel seemed to take _years_. Even as they made their way to the roof of the garage, circling slowly around each level, Lothar felt as though they had been driving for an eternity. He had barely turned off the ignition before he was bounding out of the car, hand on his gun as he matched his pace with Llane. Medivh nodded once at him as they caught each other’s eyes before falling in behind them. 

“Glad you could make it.” A burly man called to them across the roof, and Lothar recognized him immediately--Blackhand, the leader of the Horde. His white tank top left his arms exposed, one of which was tattooed so intricately from the elbow down that Lothar thought at first glance that it was simply tattooed black. He didn’t notice the tribal patterns, nor the mark of the Horde on his wrist; he was far too focused on who the hand was holding. 

The man had a brutally tight grasp on Khadgar’s arm, which was tied behind his back. The boy’s bright brown eyes peered out over a white cloth that was tied tightly over his mouth. Lothar felt a fresh wave of rage surge through him as his eyes fell to the bruises on Khadgar’s neck. He instinctively took a step forward, only to be stopped by Llane’s hand on his shoulder. 

"Alright, we’re here.” Llane called to the man. “What do you want?” 

The man didn’t say a word; instead, a wicked smile curled on his lips. Lothar felt confusion and anger rush through him like fire before he felt Medivh’s hand slip onto his shoulder and a sharp pain in the side of his neck. He gasped as the drug overtook him, watching Khadgar struggle against the man’s grasp as he felt himself fall to his knees. The world seemed to move in slow motion as white fog crept into his vision, but the sight he saw would be burned into his mind. He watched, helpless, as Garona stepped silently from behind a smokestack, raising the dagger in her hand to Llane’s neck. 

The last thing he saw was Llane’s blood spilling onto the pavement before blackness overtook him. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Promise me, Anduin, that you’ll live on._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks again to Alyrianna and Leokumitrash for beta reading this. I can't believe there's only one chapter left after this! Hope you guys are prepared.

Lothar woke up handcuffed to a bed. 

It was dark outside; that much he could see through the blinds. He blinked the fog from his eyes as they adjusted to the darkness, looking around the room. It was a hotel room, and a small one at that. There was a miniature kitchen across the room from where he lay, a small bathroom next to it. On the bed next to his, he saw the outline of Khadgar, fast asleep in the same position Lothar found himself in. 

Movement caught his eye, and his head snapped toward it. He pulled against the restraints, which clanked against the bedframe. 

“ _Quiet_.” Garona’s voice hissed from the darkness. “Do you want the whole Horde to hear you?”

“ _ **You**_.” he growled dangerously, twisting in the cuffs. 

“Do you want me to get you out of here or not?” she whispered, exasperation mingling with the desperation in her voice. 

“Why the hell should I trust you?” he spat.

“I don’t have time to explain it all now.” she replied as she leaned over him. He stopped struggling against the cuffs when he saw a glint on her cheek and realized she was crying. “You said you’d do anything to save Khad.”

She unlocked the handcuffs, pulling them from Lothar’s wrists before pressing the key into his hand. He sat up, utterly confused as he rubbed at his wrists and watched her move towards the door. 

“Where are you going?” he whispered.

She turned to face him from the doorway. “Take Khad and get out of here. I can’t buy you much time, but I can give you enough to get away.” She was gone before Lothar could say another word. 

He sighed, hoisting himself off the bed and crossing to Khadgar. The boy’s eyes fluttered open as Lothar unlocked his cuffs.

“Lothar? What--”

“I’ve got you kid, don’t worry.” Lothar whispered softly, lifting Khadgar onto his back. “I’ve got you.”

He cast one last look over his shoulder at the room behind them before sliding the window open, clambering out onto the fire escape.

********

“Sit still, kid.” Lothar told him, “This is going to hurt a bit.”

Khadgar bit his lip, flinching as Lothar touched his bruised neck with a damp cloth.

It was the first time Khadgar had been in Lothar’s bedroom, he realized. Lothar had brought him home and sat him on his own bed before rushing off to the bathroom to get a cloth and some rubbing alcohol. Khadgar had felt a twinge of shyness as Lothar removed his torn shirt, but he resigned himself to Lothar’s care. He was too exhausted to worry much about it, anyway. 

“You alright, kid?” Lothar asked, his blue eyes searching Khadgar’s.

Khadgar nodded, dropping his gaze. “I’m sorry.” was all he said.

Lothar cupped Khadgar’s good cheek in the palm of his hand. Khadgar let himself lean into the touch, tears slipping from his eyes.

“This isn’t your fault, Khadgar.” he insisted softly. “None of this is your fault. Okay?” 

Khadgar nodded weakly as a sob caught in his throat. They sat in silence for a minute, Lothar wiping the tears from Khadgar’s cheek with his thumb. It was Khadgar who finally broke the silence.

“Medivh has been working for the Horde.” he said, voice low and shaky. “I don’t know how long, but when they had me in the hotel, he was there, working with Blackhand. He organized the whole thing: the ambush in the garage, taking me as a bargaining chip to get Llane to negotiate so they could kill him. _It’s all my fault_ …”

“It’s not your fault. It’s not.” Lothar insisted again. “It’s not your fault that they took you. They could have taken any of us.”

“No, it _had_ to be me.” Khadgar said, a sob breaking into his words. “It had to be me because Medivh knew…” he trailed off.

“Knew what?”

Khadgar lifted his brown eyes to meet Lothar’s gaze. “He knew you wouldn’t leave me with them. He knew you’d come for me.”

Lothar was at a loss for words. He was furious, furious with Medivh for taking advantage of them, furious with himself for letting himself be taken advantage of. It was his feelings for the boy that had made it so easy to put the plan into action; Llane could be alive right now if they had taken Lothar instead. Everything could have been so different. But Medivh had played to Lothar’s weakness, knowing that Lothar would go to hell and back for the boy. He knew Lothar would be desperate enough to get Khadgar back that he’d go through with the plan, walking himself and Llane right into the trap that had been so neatly set for them. 

Khadgar let himself break, tears spilling onto his cheeks as Lothar pulled him gently into his chest, wrapping his strong arms around him as sobs wracked his body.

********

Lothar was careful not to wake Khadgar as he gently escaped the boy’s arms. They had fallen asleep in his bed, Lothar remembered, after he had finally calmed the boy down. Lothar found his eyes lingering on the form of the boy--no, the young man sleeping in his bed. Khadgar had been through so much; Lothar felt a pang of guilt wrack through him. It might have been more merciful to have killed him, but Lothar had selfishly spared his life--sucking him into a life he hadn’t asked for--because Lothar had seen something in the boy that he desired. 

Lothar nodded a curt thanks at the plump lady who brought their breakfast and mail. He left the breakfast on the table for when Khadgar woke up but opened the mail immediately, swearing under his breath when the envelope tore unevenly. He crumpled it as he shuffled the enclosed paper out. His brow furrowed at the note, curiosity and concern creeping into his mind as he read the words scrawled sloppily onto the paper: “Meet me in the alley.”

He made his way downstairs slowly, nodding to the doorman as he left the cool building for the gentle warmth of morning. The air was calm and comfortable as it blew lightly across his skin, almost mocking the sharp pangs of concern that shot through him. His heart nearly stopped when he turned the corner and saw Garona standing in the alley, hands in her jacket pockets. She opened her mouth, the beginning of a sentence forming on her lips, but Lothar was on her before she had the chance, grabbing the front of her jacket harshly as he shoved her into the cool brick wall of the alley. 

“Tell me everything.” he growled. “ _Now_.”

“Medivh is working with the Horde--”

“I know that.” he barked. “I know he stabbed us in the back, and I know _you_ stabbed Llane in the neck. I know _what_ happened. Now, you tell me _why_.”

“I did it to save Khadgar.” she deadpanned. “I decided not to associate with the Horde anymore long ago when my mother died in a sting. I knew it was dangerous, knew it was stupid. But I came back to protect Khad. When you told me the Horde had taken him, I went to their hub. Medivh welcomed me back when I offered to help them. They needed a third person--someone they could trust. I didn’t let Khad see me; I don’t think he knows I was keeping an eye on him.” Tears spilled down her face, though her voice remained strong. “I wanted to help him escape, but they’d just find him and kill him, and they’d kill me, too. Is that selfish?” She gazed into his eyes, and selfishness was the last thing he could have found in them. He sighed, releasing his grip on her jacket as his eyes dropped to his feet, unable to hold her gaze. 

“I’m sorry.” she choked, her voice finally cracking. 

“You did it to save your friend.” he said, looking up into her green eyes so she could see the tears in his own. “That’s what matters. Above all, I’m glad Khadgar is safe. Thank you, Garona.”

********

Lothar was running late the next morning, but he couldn’t bring himself to care enough to rush. He climbed lazily out of bed, letting Khadgar’s arms, which had been wrapped around him, fall to the empty bed Lothar had occupied a moment ago. The boy rubbed sleep from his eyes as he watched the man dress. 

“Where are you going?” Khadgar mumbled. 

“We’ve got a lot of shit to work out at the hub.” Lothar replied. “I need to get down there.”

Khadgar nodded sleepily, sitting up as he moved to get out of bed. He was stopped, however, by Lothar’s hand pressing against his chest.

“No, no,” Lothar said, pushing Khadgar back into the bed, “Stay here. Get some rest, alright? You need it.” 

Khadgar nodded again, letting Lothar pull the blanket up around him as he nestled back into the soft sheets. He was asleep by the time Lothar reached the door, casting a fond look at the boy over his shoulder before he left. 

********

Lothar felt incredibly out of place sitting in Llane’s chair. It was his chair now, he supposed, but it would always be Llane’s chair. He wasn’t ready to take his friend’s place; not in his chair, and certainly not in his position. Llane had been a wonderful leader: strong, level-headed, and fiercely loyal. Lothar knew he had a temper, one that could have gotten them into a lot of dangerous situations. Now that he had to take over and run the mob, he felt less capable of doing so than he ever had in his entire life. And with his two best friends gone--one dead and the other a traitor; Lothar didn’t know which was worse--he was left to make all the decisions alone. 

Unless Khadgar stayed with them.

It would be absurd to ask such a thing of the poor boy. He was intelligent, kind, and full of potential. Lothar couldn’t--and _wouldn’t_ \--ask him to throw his life away into the bottomless trap hole that was organized crime. No, even if Khadgar wanted to, Lothar might insist that he go back to university, finish his studies, and make a good future for himself. That would be best.

Still, he couldn’t help but want Khadgar to stay with him.

Lothar dismissed the group with a wave of his hand, resigning himself to the fact that nothing would get done today. Not when the group was so somber. Not when they had just lost their leader. He found himself staring absentmindedly at the mahogany table, thinking of all the time he had spent here. This was, he realized, the first time he had been at this table without Llane beside him. He reached for one of the drawers absentmindedly when the door of the bar creaked open. He looked up to find Garona standing in the room as the bartender closed the door behind her. 

“Hey.” she said softly.

“What do you want?” Lothar paused; the words had come out harsher than he had intended. “Is there anything I can help you with?” he added, hoping to soften his tone.

She stepped closer, hands in her jacket pockets. “I wanted to give you this.”

She crossed to him, standing beside him as she pulled the all-too familiar dagger from her jacket pocket. She twirled it once in her hand, offering him the handle of the blade. It was silver, three blue gemstones set into its elegant steel. Engraved at the base of the blade was a lion: the symbol of the Alliance. He took it slowly, fingers trembling as they closed around the knife. 

He stared up at her, a thousand questions racing to the tip of his tongue. She gave him a meaningful look, something dark in her green eyes. Then, she turned, and was gone without a word.

He sighed, eyes tracing the lion etched into the bright steel of the dagger. Where had she gotten it? It didn’t fit her; she worked with the Horde, after all--apparently long enough to have gained their trust. How could she wield something with the Alliance symbol on it? 

He pulled open the drawer of the table with the intention of putting it away and out of his mind, but the contents of the drawer caused his blood to run cold. A dagger sheath lay inside, silver with blue gemstones set elegantly along the soft curves of the sheath. At the base, the symbol of the Alliance was etched. 

He reached for it, spinning it in hand before sliding the dagger slowly into it. The Alliance insignias matched perfectly as it slid in with a gentle _click_.

Lothar’s head spun, suddenly feeling dizzy with realization. It must be Llane’s dagger. It must be. The sheath had been in his drawer. How the hell had Garona gotten the dagger then?

He was so dumbstruck that he almost didn’t notice the envelope addressed to him laying in the bottom of the drawer. His fingers brushed the edges as he lifted it slowly, tearing the seal and gently sliding the paper out. He unfolded it, the familiar sight of Llane’s handwriting sending pain shooting through his heart. 

_Anduin,_

_If you are reading this, then I am already dead. I’ve had to make a very difficult choice, but if you get this letter, then know that I do not regret it._

_I am writing this on the day Khadgar was taken by the Horde. You left here a few hours ago, and I hope you’re alright, wherever you are. Garona stopped by the hub. She informed me of a plot, an insidious motive to taking Khadgar. It’s not just for bargaining. The Horde wants me dead. They’ve taken him knowing that we’ll go along with their “negotiation” to get him back, and walk right into a trap. They’re going to kill me._

_If you’re reading this, then you must have gotten out alive, and I’m so grateful for that. I’ve decided to go along with the plan. I can’t leave Khadgar in the hands of the Horde, especially not when he means so much to you. They’ll kill him, and I can’t let that happen. Like you said, that’s one of our guys in there. We take care of those who are loyal and trustworthy, and Khadgar has proven to be that and so much more. Besides, I can’t let them kill someone who has inspired you so._

_I’ve decided to do this so the two of you can live on. Please, Anduin, live on. Grow old with him. I’ve seen the way you look at him, and I know that he can bring happiness back into your life, if you let him. Let him, please, Anduin. I know it might be hard for you. It’s awful, really, when love affairs get tied up in this kind of business. Believe me, I know more than anyone._

_Don’t trust Medivh. He’s concocted this whole mess. The only reason I know of the plan is because he slipped. He let Garona into the plot, thinking that he could trust her. She’s his daughter. He never told me, and I’m sure he’s never told a soul. She may be the only person on the planet who knows, other than yourself now that you’ve read this. She came to me, desperate to save Khadgar. She’s a good friend, fierce and loyal. She reminds me of you, in a way._

_I gave her my dagger. I’d rather have her off me than any other of those Horde bastards. She’s doing this to save her friend, and I’m doing this to save mine. Please, Anduin, don’t let our efforts go to waste. Live on with Khadgar. Promise me, Anduin, that you’ll live on._

_Yours in Trust,_

_Llane_

Lothar let himself sob, breaking down completely in the silence of the bar.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Keep both eyes open._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's over, isn't it?
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading this fic. I put a lot of time into this one, and a lot of emotion. I hope it played out as well in writing as it did in my head. Thanks again to Alyrianna and Leokumitrash for beta reading, as well as everyone else that helped me with this fic. It's been such a joy to work on.

“Lothar?”

Khadgar’s voice broke through the white haze that hung around his head, clouding his senses. “Lothar, are you alright?”

Lothar grunted from where he was slumped on the mahogany table, his ninth glass of scotch forgotten on the table. He clutched the dagger in his hand, his grip on it tightening instinctively when he heard the boy move toward him. He wanted to tell Khadgar that he was alright, wanted to ask him how he got here, wanted to touch the soft skin of his face and make all his pain go away. He was too drunk to make any of those wishes come true.

He felt Khadgar’s weight pushing up into him, hoisting him onto the boy’s back. Khadgar was surprisingly strong for a bookworm, he found himself thinking as he tried and failed to support himself. He submitted to stumbling along behind Khadgar, leaning on him heavily. His eyes still stung with dry tears, which he hoped Khadgar hadn’t noticed. 

“Come on, let’s get you home.”

********

Khadgar sat on the edge of the bed, his hand resting on Lothar’s as the man slept. He traced Lothar’s form with his eyes: his face, his neck, his chest, his stomach. He stopped where the blankets started, reaching a hand to pull them up over the slumbering man. The sudden knock at the door startled him.

He left Lothar’s side reluctantly, fingers brushing the man’s skin softly as he left. He crossed to the door, moving naturally through the apartment he had become so familiar with in such a short amount of time. 

He was shocked to find Garona standing on the other side of his door. 

“Garona,” he stammered, “How did you get up here?”

She pushed past him into the apartment, shutting the door firmly behind them. “I need to talk to Lothar.”

“He’s asleep.” Khadgar informed her. “I doubt I could wake him up if I tried. What’s the matter?”

“Blackhand is upset.” she began. “He’s been in a rage ever since he found you two were missing.” She bit her lip. “He regrets not having killed you both when he had the chance.”

Khadgar nodded slowly. “What do we do?” he asked.

“He’s going to challenge Lothar.” she breathed, anguish seeping into her words. “He’s going to have a message delivered tomorrow demanding that Lothar face him instead of running like a coward. I’ve got to warn him.” she added with a grimace.

“Lothar can handle it.” Khadgar said with a firmness in his voice that took Garona aback. A sad smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she looked at her friend. 

“Lothar could handle a fair fight,” she agreed, “But Blackhand isn’t below underhanded tricks. He’s not coming alone. He’s planning on bringing Medivh with him, and if he starts losing, Medivh will be there to take Lothar out.”

Khadgar felt a chill run down his spine at the bluntness of her words. He nodded slowly, letting the gravity of the situation sink in.

“I’ll warn him.” Khadgar promised. 

Garona’s green eyes bored into him as she searched his face. “Khadgar,” she said, taking his hand in hers, “Stay alive.”

Khadgar nodded once, pretending he didn’t notice the mark of the Horde on her wrist where her bandana usually sat. 

********

“No.” Lothar’s eyes pierced him as the man stared him down. “You’re not coming with me. I can’t put you in a situation like this, Khadgar. I _can’t_.”

“You’re not putting me in any situation.” Khadgar insisted. “You can’t go alone. You’ll die. It’s suicide to go alone.”

Lothar sighed as he threaded his belt through his pants, sliding the holster of his gun firmly into place. “Maybe,” he replied, “But it’s better than putting you in danger.”

“It’s _not_.” Khadgar pleaded. “Please, Lothar. I can’t let you go by yourself. Medivh will kill you. I can’t let that happen.”

“Kid,” Lothar growled, “You’re young. Your life is just beginning. It’s worth so much more than mine. There’s no way I’d let you throw it away, throw all of your _potential_ away, for something stupid like this.”

“It’s not stupid.” Khadgar breathed. “Your life is important to me. More than my own, I think.”

Lothar stared up at Khadgar, lips parted as his eyebrows threatened to disappear into his hairline. He took a step towards the boy, but Khadgar didn’t back down, his bright brown eyes gazing up into Lothar’s with sheer determination.

“Don’t say that.” Lothar whispered, pushing his face into Khadgar’s. “Don’t ever say that. I value your life above anything else in the world, Khadgar. You need to understand that.” Khadgar nodded.

“I understand,” he replied softly, “But I’m not letting you go alone. We do this together, Lothar. We protect each other.”

Lothar sighed, letting his head fall forward slightly. He knew he couldn’t argue with Khadgar, especially not when he knew the boy was right. He’d die if he went alone. With Khadgar at his side, there was a chance that they’d both make it. 

There was a chance, however, that they might not. 

Lothar shook the thought from his head. “Alright.” he breathed, taking a step back. “Alright.”

********

Blackhand stood on the roof of the parking garage. The wind rustled through his long, black hair, which gleamed pink under the painted sunset sky. He smiled to himself as a black Rolls Royce pulled off the street and into the garage. He glanced over at the smokestack, Medivh in position behind it. The blonde man met his gaze and nodded once, the twinge of a dangerous smile twitching on his lips. Blackhand chuckled to himself, eyes falling back to the Rolls Royce that made its way onto the roof. 

Lothar placed a hand on Khadgar’s knee and squeezed gently, shooting him a meaningful glance before opening the door and stepping out onto the roof. Khadgar followed shortly after, walking slightly behind the older man.

Blackhand spread his arms in a fake welcome. “What, you get to bring a lackey, little lion man?” he teased. “Afraid you can’t take me alone?”

Lothar snarled at him. “Medivh, I know you’re here.” he called, eyes locked with the burly, tattooed man. Medivh stepped out from behind the smokestack, a wicked smirk on his face and malice in his eyes as he stepped beside Blackhand. 

“Good to see you, old friend.” Medivh cooed. Khadgar could feel Lothar bristle beside him. 

“How touching.” Blackhand barked. “I almost feel bad, cutting this reunion short. But we have business to attend to, little lion man.” He took a single step towards Lothar, unctuous grin breaking across his face as he removed his tank top, showing off the rippling muscles of his abdomen. Lothar remained nonplussed. 

“Khadgar,” he murmured, stripping his jacket slowly, “Hold my gun.”

Khadgar nodded, taking the weapon silently as Lothar handed it to him. Lothar took his tie off slowly before tossing it aside with his jacket and unbuttoning the top three buttons of his shirt. He rolled up the sleeves, grabbing his elbows and stretching his shoulders as he did. He cracked his neck, the sound sending a shiver up Khadgar’s spine. 

Lothar stepped forward, arms hanging loosely at his sides. Blackhand was significantly taller than Lothar, who was nearly dwarfed by the man’s size and bulk. Khadgar bit at his lower lip nervously as he watched them meet in the middle, neither one taking their eyes off the other. Blackhand sneered, bringing a fist to meet Lothar’s head.

Lothar was quicker. He used his size to his advantage, ducking out of the way slightly before using the momentum in his knees to spring up towards Blackhand. His arm turned at the last minute, using the full force of his elbow to thrust the heel of his hand into Blackhand’s nose. There was an audible _crunch_ as Blackhand’s sneer turned into a snarl, blood pouring from his nose as his quickly-purpling eyes glared at Lothar. 

Blackhand stumbled back with the momentum of the impact, which Lothar pounced on immediately. He sprang for Blackhand, tackling the burly man to the ground and closing a strong hand around his thick throat. Blackhand gasped, twisting beneath Lothar’s grasp before bringing his knee up into Lothar’s stomach. Lothar bit back a shout, struggling to keep his grasp on Blackhand as the strike shoved him backward. Without losing a moment, Blackhand seized Lothar’s unsteadiness to throw the smaller man off him, tossing him to the ground with a solid _thud_. Lothar grimaced, the wind knocked out of him as Blackhand rolled on top of him, pinning him to the ground by his neck.

“I had expected better of you, little lion man.” Blackhand sneered, the liquor on his breath filling Lothar’s nose as he struggled to fight the heavier man off. A barking laugh rumbled from Blackhand’s chest. “Why don’t you call in your lackey? He’s holding your gun; he could shoot me dead and save your life.”

Khadgar’s breath caught in his chest as Lothar’s eyes met his own. He clutched at the gun in his hand, knowing that Blackhand’s words were true. Lothar shook his head, but Khadgar remained torn even knowing that Lothar didn’t want him to intervene. He didn’t have to make a decision in the end--Medivh was on him before Khadgar had even realized the blonde man had moved. His hand clapped over Khadgar’s mouth from behind, the other arm wrapping around the boy’s body, pinning Khadgar’s arms to his sides. He struggled fiercely, but the man’s grasp stayed true. 

Blackhand laughed again, pulling a hand back to bring his fist down hard across Lothar’s face. Lothar could feel the blood pour hot over his cheek, sure that his cheekbone had shattered as the man pulled back to swing again. Lothar caught Blackhand’s mistake: he had pulled his arm back too far. Seizing the opportunity, Lothar brought his knee up into Blackhand’s side, knocking the burly man off balance and giving Lothar the opportunity he needed to bring the heel of his hand up into Blackhand’s shoulder. Blackhand tumbled off of him, grunting in frustration as Lothar rolled deftly away from his grasp and jumped to his feet. Blackhand moved to stand, only to be stopped dead by another strike from Lothar, cracking down across the side of his skull. He fell forward into the pavement, the skin of his face grazing against the asphalt. 

Bringing the full force of his body down in one final swing, Lothar brought his elbows together and slammed the blunt edge of them into the back of Blackhand’s skull with a sickening _crack_.

“Lothar--!” Khadgar’s voice rang out. Lothar whirled around in just enough time to lock eyes with Khadgar before Medivh was on top of him. Lothar cried out as the needle pierced his neck, and he felt the warm sting of poison fill his veins. 

_What would you do to make sure he was safe?_

Garona’s words flashed through his mind as he thought of Khadgar. He thought of everything they had been through over the past few days: the pain, the heartache, the suffering. It was nothing in comparison to the pain he felt when he thought of Khadgar dying to the hands of someone they had trusted. The thought drove his hand to his pocket, made his hand clutch the handle of the dagger Garona had given him: Llane’s dagger, and the dagger that had cut Llane’s neck. He looked into the eyes of the man that had killed Llane as he shoved the dagger into Medivh’s chest. Blood spilled from the wound as Medivh gasped, stumbled back, and fell to the ground. He clutched at his chest, coughing once before his body went limp.

Dizziness overtook Lothar, and he stumbled. Khadgar caught him on the way down, both of them slumping onto the ground. Khadgar clutched at Lothar’s shirt, tears stinging his eyes as a sob shook his body.

“Lothar, say something.” he pleaded. His tears spilled onto Lothar’s cheek, mingling with the blood that still poured from his cheek. “I’m so sorry, Lothar, I’m sorry, I failed you. I’m so sorry.”

Lothar smiled softly, placing a weak hand on Khadgar’s arm. 

“Khadgar,” he whispered hoarsely as his vision blurred, “Kill me.”

Khadgar blinked, eyes bright with anguish. “ _What_?”

Lothar let his fingers fall to the gun in Khadgar’s hand. He pressed it into the boy’s palm. “I don’t have much time left. If I'm going to die, it’s going to be at the hands of someone I trust. Do it.”

Sobs overtook Khadgar’s voice as he stroked Lothar’s face, fingers brushing his skin in a gentle plea.

“Please, bookworm. Please.”

Khadgar felt himself nod slowly, tears streaming down his face as he wrapped his fingers around the gun. Agonizing grief shot through him as he brought the gun up slowly, pressing the barrel into the man’s chest.

“I’m sorry.” he choked between sobs. Lothar shook his head weakly.

“I’m the one that should be apologizing.” Lothar murmured, a sweat breaking on his brow as he began shivering. “I dragged you into all of this.”

“Do you regret it?” 

Lothar’s gaze was steady as he locked eyes with Khadgar. “Not in a million years.”

Khadgar nodded, clicking the safety off as Lothar relaxed into his arms, closing his eyes as a white fog overtook his vision. His breathing became shallow, pulse fluttering. 

_Keep both eyes open_ , Lothar had told him. Khadgar didn't dare look away from Lothar’s face as he pulled the trigger, putting the bullet right through the man’s brave heart.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! If you want to leave constructive criticism or shoot me a prompt, my tumblr is ocarinaenthusiast.tumblr.com. Cheers!


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